Episode 206: Bad Blood
Bad Blood is the sixth episode of the second season and the eighteenth episode overall. Notes * Clients: Ricky Watkins * Bad Guys: Victor Stecker-Epps, Eddie Ash Synopsis As Michael helps an old friend who's suspected of embezzling from a hip-hop mogul, Michael finds himself meeting one of Carla's men, Victor who recruits Michael to participate in a heist. Spy Facts *When meeting a covert operative for the first time, the arrangements can tell you a lot. If they give you a map and a photo, they trust you. A place and a time, they want to check you out before they make contact. A cryptic clue like "tidy pelican", they've just got an irritating sense of humor. *Sometimes, when you meet a new operative, it's a good idea to open with an aggressive move. You learn about people when you make them play defense: their reflexes, weaknesses, how they handle themselves under pressure. And even if they're able to counter, it never hurts to know how far they're willing to go. *You can use cell phone towers to triangulate the position of someone's cell phone but you're going to have problems anytime they go out of range. Use an enhanced GPS, on the other hand and you can pinpoint their location in real time, almost anywhere on the face of the planet. Try disconnecting a GPS wired into a phones motherboard, you risk disabling the phone. A much simpler solution is call forwarding. *If you want to empty a building, pulling a fire alarm is useless; no-one pays attention unless they're actually on fire. A bomb scare next door to your target strikes the right balance, everyone clears out and then pays attention to the other building. *Most modern bomb squads are equipped with an R.F. Jammer. It blocks a wide spectrum of radio frequencies preventing people from detonating bombs by remote control. It'll block all electronic transmissions in the area. Cell phones, for example or wireless security cameras. *The interior locks in an office suite are usually low end; just there to keep white collar workers from stealing coffee cups. File cabinet locking bars on the other hand, are a more serious security measure. Their main vulnerability, is that they depend on people's faith in padlocks. People have too much faith in padlocks. *Air ducts in a modern office are 18 inches wide. So if you need to make a quick escape, and you're older than four, you won't fit. A more viable option is the sub-ceiling. Once you're in the sub-ceiling, you can get to a bathroom or closet and make your way out from there. *When you're working a target, it's all about getting a good read. What makes him tick? Is he insecure? Does he have something to prove? You might only have a few seconds, but it all factors into your approach. *There's nothing in the world easier to get into than an empty condo that's been on the market for six months. Never mind picking the lock. You can just call and ask for the keys. *When your cover's compromised, often the best defense is a good offense. Admit nothing, deny everything. Make counter-accusations. *Once somebody's watching for cops, they see them everywhere. Anyone in dark sunglasses is FBI. Any car with tinted windows is a tail. Their paranoia does most of the work for you. *Knowing what someone wants can tell you a lot about who they are. So if what they want comes in a wooden crate, that you're not going to be allowed to open, you might have to turn your trunk into a makeshift x-ray machine. The tube from an old TV set is a good place to start. As part of the projection process, they emit x-rays. They are meant to handle around 30,000 volts. Any more than that, and they'll cook your eyes with radiation. So pump 100,000 volts into one from a Taser, and you won't be able to diagnose a hairline fracture, but you'll get the basic idea. *Criminals are, as a rule, paranoid and self-serving. So if you're using a criminal cover I.D., you can't be too helpful. Luckily, you can usually count on the other guy not to let you off easy. *In any kind of covert operation, one of the toughest challenges is using information that you're not supposed to have. If going in guns blazing will blow your cover sometimes you've gotta get creative. Under the right circumstances, a well-placed rock is as good as a bullet. *One of the most difficult skills to master in combat is taking a dive. Sometimes an operation demands that you lose a fight. But it's the hardest thing in the world to see the opening and let it go. *Notorious for causing brush fires, 12-gauge incendiary rounds create a small explosion that burns at 3,000 degrees. It'll also stop a car pretty well. People don't drive when their tires are on fire. *Water sealant is a common sight around Miami, where it's used to protect buildings from hurricane flooding. It's also extremely flammable, which means it can be useful in other ways too. Full Recap Following a failed attempt to access information into Carla's organization, Michael takes the crossword puzzle found at their office building. The crossword directs Michael to meet an organization operative at Lummus Park, using the clue "Tidy Pelican" to approximate the meeting location. At the chess park, a man named Victor calls him for a "chess game". Victor introduces himself to Michael as his wrangler, making sure he does not stray too far from their grasp for another job. He hands Michael a cell phone that works one way only (no return number is given). Michael then decides to test Victor's resolve to see how tough he is. He grabs Victor's arm and threatens to open his radial artery with a chess piece until Victor gives up information about the people he works for while the other people playing chess in the park remain oblivious. Victor, on the other hand shows Michael that he means business and does so by producing a Lorcin L22 while Victor then holds to Michael's groin underneath the table. With no options left and knowing that he'll probably bleed out if Victor shoots him, Michael surrenders. Michael meets Sam back at Michael's loft, working on a Buick after losing the Cadillac following Sam's recent breakup with Veronica. Michael, knowing that Victor will harm his family and friends until he gives in, asks Sam to stay over at Madeline's until the job is done. At Madeline's house, Sam sees a man at the house appearing to spy on Madeline. Sam holds him up at gunpoint until Madeline arrives, confirming to Sam that the man is an old family friend. They go to Carlito's and Michael recognizes him as Ricky Watkins. Sam and Madeline leave the two to their business. Ricky mentions his brother Andre serving 25 to life for his latest crime. He also mentions he got a business degree and now works as Head Accountant for Sweet Valentine Enterprises. Valentine was once a big-time gangster and is now a major hip hop mogul based in Miami. Ricky explains that Valentine has noticed $2 million misplaced and wants an explanation. He suspects that Eddie Ash, Valentine's right-hand man, is behind the embezzlement scheme. Ricky offers Michael $10,000 to retrieve Eddie's balance books from his office. Michael accepts the offer, resulting in Ricky becoming Michael's newest client. Across the street from Sweet Valentine Enterprises, Michael approaches Fiona and asks her to help out with the job. They observe Valentine, Eddie, and the entourage leaving the office building. As Michael and Fiona watch things, Victor calls Michael and orders him to go to Hollywood Beach in 15 minutes. Michael reluctantly leaves with Fiona promising that she'll keep an eye on stuff for him. At Hollywood Beach, Victor lays out an obscure plan for the next job. Michael attempts to figure out the item Victor wants, but Victor threatens him and dismisses him. Victor also implicitly reveals to Michael he has a GPS device wired to the phone. Michael attempts to remove the device back at the loft, but gets a warning message rolled in the phone instead. Once he's gotten it cooled down, Michael unwraps and discovers that the message from Victor which is "Leave the GPS alone, Michael. :(". Realizing Victor is one step ahead of him, Michael instead decides to use call forwarding to divert his present location away from Victor. The next day, Fiona calls a Dade Trust Bank with a bomb scare to divert everyone's attention away from Sweet Valentine Enterprises. The local bomb squad activates their standard RF jammer to block all wireless signals including the cameras installed at Sweet Valentine Enterprises. Using the codes Ricky gave him, Michael breaks into the offices and photographs all of Eddie's documents detailing the kinds of side businesses he's involved in. Unfortunately, security guards arrive in, Eddie having ordered them back now. After getting what he needs, Michael exits the building through the sub ceilings. Michael meets Eddie at Carlito's and tells him the books were not found. However, he figures that Eddie is looking to launder the embezzled funds so Eddie can legitimately claim the cash. Eddie is also aiming to pin the blame on Ricky because of his position. Michael's new task is to point the evidence at Eddie so Ricky can get cleared. Michael meets with Barry to get introduced to Eddie as a money launderer. Barry is concerned that Eddie will get hurt or killed, but agrees to make the arrangements for $5,000 ($3,000 if nothing happens to Eddie). Michael agrees to the $5,000 deal. Sam is at Madeline's house cooking Madra's Curry from TV while watching Madeline. Michael arrives and receives his new cover ID, Jimmy Glynn who is a real estate broker/money launderer and has Boston Mob connections. Jimmy/Michael meets with Eddie and gets a read on him to exploit his weaknesses. He orders Johnny Walker Blue for Eddie and talks business. He appreciates Eddie's caution and promises to wash his cash in six months plus 30-40% profit minus his cut. Jimmy/Michael's price is $2 million by end of the week, but Eddie is reluctant. Jimmy/Michael lays the pressure on Eddie that he needs to move fast and gets ready to leave. Eddie would like to see Jimmy's operation first. Jimmy/Michael escorts Eddie to an empty condo and explains what he's going to do with Eddie's money if he agrees to the deal. Eddie wants to think about it, but Jimmy/Michael emphasizes the need to move fast. Eddie receives a phone call and heads back to Sweet Valentine Enterprises. Ricky calls Michael to let him know Valentine's called a meeting about his missing money. Michael advises him to stand his ground so he can still have a chance to prove his innocence. As Michael and Fiona listen in via Ricky's cell phone, Valentine voices his disgust to his staff and makes an example out of Marcus, who was poaching Valentine's artists for Static Records. He decides to wail on Marcus with a platinum record before kicking him out of the building. Fiona proceeds to march on towards Sweet Valentine Enterprises with a loaded shotgun, but Michael orders her to stand down. Valentine warns Ricky he has two days to figure out the money leak or die. Michael tells Ricky he's meeting Eddie tonight. Later, at the night club, Jimmy explains all the business details and Eddie is close to closing a deal. However, things take a turn when Victor crashes the party. Upon seeing Victor, Michael confronts him. Victor is infuriated that Michael tried to dump the cell phone and warns Michael not to pull a stunt like that. Victor announces their plans tomorrow with Michael stating that he's busy tomorrow. In response, Victor poses as a dissatisfied business partner and informs Eddie the feds are onto Jimmy's deals. Eddie storms out and Victor expects Michael to meet with him early tomorrow morning about the job. The next meeting with Ricky, Michael updates him with the situation with Ricky nervous over the fact that he has 48 hours left. Jimmy accuses Eddie of informing the feds about his deals. He holds Eddie at gunpoint and wants to know if he's been ratted out. Michael decides to use Victor's accusation to his advantage and then calls Sam to tail Eddie the entire day to work his nerves which will convince Eddie that feds are keeping an eye on him. While Sam is with Madeline, Madeline wants to know why Sam is behaving the way he is. Sam tells Madeline that he does not want to get over Veronica yet. At a loading dock, Victor explains to Michael the object is in a wooden crate. This is more than enough information for Michael to figure out what the object is. Michael returns to the loft and installs an old TV into the trunk of the Charger to make a makeshift X-Ray machine. He gets a call from Eddie to meet later tonight. Jimmy hears about Eddie's problems with the feds. He tells Eddie that he's got his own problems. Eddie is sociopathic and wants help. Jimmy refuses, but Eddie applies pressure (the move Jimmy was counting on) to get him to cooperate. Eddie tells Jimmy there's one more loose end to take care of, implying he's going to have Ricky killed. When Eddie gets away to order more drinks, Michael calls Fiona to stop the hitters from killing him and also tells her to tell Ricky to hide because if Ricky puts in an appearance, then Eddie's hit squad will kill him. At Ricky's house, just as the hit squad arrive, Fiona pulls violently into Ricky's driveway and throws a rock into a window, posing as an old girlfriend to chase the bad guys away while telling Ricky to come on out and face her like a man. Ricky meets the team at the loft to learn that Eddie is fearful the feds are surveilling him. Michael explains to Ricky that he has to "die" so Eddie will agree to deal with Jimmy. Jimmy informs Eddie that Ricky is the federal informant. Eddie is upset that his hitters did not kill Ricky. Jimmy pressures Eddie to kill Ricky himself and gives him the gun to shoot him with. Sam and Fiona arrive at Sweet Valentine Enterprises. As Sam tackles Valentine's bodyguards before drawing his sidearm, Fiona casually approaches Valentine and holds him at gunpoint. With no other choice, Valentine relents. Eddie arrives at Ricky's house with Jimmy to murder Ricky. In the living room, Ricky confessed that he told the feds about Eddie's embezzlement scam and states that the money isn't Eddie's. Eddie, furious shouts, "The Hell it isn't!" and states that he built Valentine's company from scratch and Valentine was rapping for pocket change when Eddie came along while Eddie reveals that he sold Valentine's CD's out of a van. Eddie proudly boosts his skill at embezzling the money while admitting his resentment for Valentine who is keeping the money that Eddie also believes is rightfully his, not Valentine's. Eddie then attempts to kill Ricky to finish things once and for all, only to realize that the gun is full of blanks and that each shot isn't harming Ricky one bit. Seconds later, Valentine arrives in with Fiona and Sam, Valentine having finally been convinced of the truth. Valentine then tells Sam, Fiona and Ricky to leave as Valentine approaches Eddie with Eddie begging and pleading with Valentine. A while later, back at the loft, Ricky explains to Michael and Fiona that Valentine took Eddie out on his yacht and never came back, implying that Valentine killed Eddie and dumped Eddie's remains at sea. As thanks, Ricky offers the $10,000 promised, but Michael refuses, instead paying Fiona enough to cover for her expenses. Ricky departs. Fiona hands Michael incendiary rounds for his shotgun to take on Victor's job. Despite Fiona hinting that she wants to come along, Michael turns her down, stating that he needs this operation to go off without Victor turning it into a bloodbath. The next day, Michael and Victor begin the operation. As Victor breaks into the warehouse, Michael uses a shotgun to distract the security guards long enough for Victor to leave with the object. They eventually part company the same evening, but not before Michael X-Rays the trunk to get the snapshot. At Madeline's house, Sam cooks up a pasta dish with Osso Bucco. Sam is finally ready to leave on his own. Madeline confesses to Michael she knew he was on another job and is thankful of him wanting to protect her. At the loft, Fiona finally gets back the image from a veterinarian friend, revealing that the object Michael and Victor stole is a sniper rifle. Cast Main *Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen *Bruce Campbell as Sam Axe *Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona Glenanne *Sharon Gless as Madeline Westen Recurring *Paul Tei as Barry Guest * Michael Shanks as Victor Stecker-Epps * Ben Watkins as Ricky Watkins * Method Man as Eddie Valentine * Rob Benedict as Eddie Ash * Meshaun Labrone Arnold as Marcus Major Events *Victor, a wrangler from Carla's organization is introduced for the first time. Trivia *Ben Watkins who guest-starred as Ricky Watkins is also a writer/story editor for the show. *Michael Shanks who plays Victor on the show is best known for his role as Dr. Daniel Jackson on the Canadian-American sci-fi- show, Stargate SG-1. *The song playing when Michael and Victor are stealing the box is Kritical- Are You Ready For This. Continuity Errors *When Victor is explaining the plan to Michael where the plan will take place, you can see a hair on the top right of the screen as the camera pans down at the beginning of their conversation. 206 Category:Season 2 Category:Season 2 Episodes